Study Finds Increased Internet Use in Underserved Chicago Areas

Results from a MacArthur-supported study shows increased Internet usage in low and moderate-income communities in Chicago that participated in the Smart Communities program, where a concentrated effort was made to educate residents about the internet and how it can improve their quality of life. The Smart Communities program, funded by a $7 million federal stimulus grant, offered Internet training for residents, technical assistance and training for businesses, and digital media programs for youth in nine predominately African American and Latino neighborhoods in Chicago. The study by Arizona State University found that the Smart Communities had a statistically significant 13 percent increase in Internet use compared to other Chicago communities, which saw only a 4.5 percent increase.

The report evaluates a community-based reentry program that attempted to help more than 700 formerly incarcerated people transition to home life in East Garfield Park, Chicago, between 2008 and 2013. Read More

MacArthur grantees and other leading thinkers from business, government, civil society, and academia convened at the Aspen Ideas Festival to explore and debate ethics in the age of the quantified society. Read More